This has put the true problem into the open. When you start your car this morning, realize that your mobility depends not on BIG oil, BIG shipping, BIG refining, or BIG transportation. It depends on the willingness and ability of SMALL business to operate that gas station that keeps your car going. Any system that makes it more profitable to STOP selling a product will get just what it deserves..no product sold or available. The oil companys’ have profits much less than the tax revenue that accrues to the government(s), but the yelling is at the oil producers. Go ahead, yell at the local seller of gas, insult him, vilify the little guy, then swivel your neck looking for him when the gas pumps are SHUT OFF. You’ll have gasoline for only so long as someone is willing to sell it. This is how they make their living, it is not a hobby.
You’ll have gasoline for only so long as someone is willing to sell it. This is how they make their living, it is not a hobby.
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Worth repeating. I use a local station that is a few cents more per gallon than the convenience store stations exactly because I want him to be there and operating on snow days, or when I need to have my tires checked, etc.
In my campaign to ‘force’ big media to tell us news we can use instead of propaganda, I want to know how many American refineries have suffered ‘accidents’ requiring unanticipated shutdowns in the past year. We are fed certain news items ad nauseam and other news items are totally ignored. I am suspicious of refinery accidents during this time of war. How many young mosque-going muslims work in refineries? My inquiring mind wants to know.
I also want to know how many Americans are aware that we have to import gasoline. We do not refine enough for our daily use. Talk about outsourcing! That is more serious than outsourcing the manufacturing of TVs or shoes.
Nobody seems to mention the real constraining factor here.
What kept this station from making a profit wasn’t big oil or taxes or MasterCard. It was that Shell is charging him more than whoever is supplying the other station down the street.
Who is that ? Chevron ? Or a Shell-owned rather than franchisee station ? How can they afford to sell gas at a price this Shell owner can’t profitably match ?
Other articles have also mentioned Shell specifically, and franchisees specifically. As though Shell is trying to squeeze out the small operator and take direct control of the retail end.